Ecology, Values, and Policy

An alien approach to invasive species: objectivity and society in invasion biology

“…If just having these values biased one's results, then it would be too late for most ecologists and invasion biologists. Thankfully, it is the social character of science that primarily contributes to its value as a way of knowing (Franz 2001;Wallington and Moore 2005). Consequently, while objectivity is important, claims to objectivity may also obscure the values that one actually holds, which can become problematic in a social context.…”

“…Brown and Sax neither clarify this concept nor describe in detail how one might be objective, especially in the context of invasion biology. Their presentation generally accords with a caricature of objective ecology contrasted with blatant subjective advocacy (see Killingsworth and Palmer 1992), however, since they do not engage with extensive discussions of advocacy and objectivity in conservation biology elsewhere (Barry and Oelschlaeger 1996;Kaiser 2000;Allen et al 2001;Bradshaw and Bekoff 2001;Franz 2001;Ludwig et al 2001;Rykiel 2001;Weber and Word 2001;Lach et al 2003;Wallington and Moore 2005). They specifically disregard the intrinsic role of values in science, thereby reinforcing the ''myth of a 'value neutral science''' (Norton 1998, p. 355).…”

What doJ-NABSpapers tell us about the state of knowledge in freshwater benthic science?

“…In the face of global change and current environmental crises, we perceive immediate needs for: 1) effective communication with the public, policymakers, and resource managers (Pringle et al 1993, Parrish et al 1995, Gosz 1999, Barbour et al 2008, 2) interdisciplinary research across boundaries of scientific disciplines (Hawkins et al 2010, Lamberti et al 2010, Poole 2010 and across boundaries of science, politics, and economics (Rykiel 2001), and 3) research on and dissemination of badly needed information to nations facing pressures from health crises, population growth, economic development, and resource degradation (e.g., Saxena et al 2004). We argue that scientific journals have a social responsibility to facilitate scientific progress and the application of that knowledge to problems faced by society at large (see also Shrader-Frechette and McCoy 1992, Harman et al 1998, Franz 2001, Saxena et al 2004, Barbour et al 2008. However, the core mission of J-NABS (dissemination of scientific information to an international audience of scientists) cannot be forgotten as we try to deal with the interface between science and society.…”

Scientific Objectivity, Value Systems, and Policymaking

“…He calls for nothing less than changing our vision of the way the world works and how we would like the world to be. Franz (2001) contends that the mere fact that science is done by humans introduces a value-based element to decisionmaking. He asks if there is a human value that is uniquely ecological.…”